This invention relates to a method for organizing and displaying information about files stored on a computer. In particular, this invention relates to information presented in a "desktop" representation to the user of a computer.
In current computer systems, stored files are represented to the computer user in a static form, listed by the physical media on which they are stored, or listed in order by a characteristic such as the name or size of the file. In computers supporting the direct manipulation of files in a representation of a desktop, such as the Apple.RTM. Macintosh.RTM. family of computers, files can be moved by use of a mouse, to place the files in particular locations, or moved within a hierarchy of folders. To use the file, the user must go to where the file is located by opening the appropriate folders to uncover the file.
What is desired is an automatic method of organizing and representing files in categories relevant to the computer user, and continuously updating this representation as the files change.
In software which supports an "alias" function, such as System 7.0 for the Apple Macintosh family of computers, the user can create an alias or "artificial" file which appears on the screen and provides a link or path back to the original file. However, the user still explicitly creates, names, and places aliases on the desktop, although the user can interact with them as if they were the original file.